Golf tee and holder



U. W. WALTON GOLF TEE AND HOLDER Dec. 14 l926.

Filed May 10, 1926 J Zz/w 2 227) a! 3;; M/ Wm fall gw v Patented Dec. 14, 1325.

UNITED STATES ULRICH W. WALTON, OF PATON, IOWA.

GOLF TEE AND HOLDER.

Application filed May 10, 1926. Serial No. 107,956.

The object of my invention is to rovide a golf tee and holder of simple, dura 1e and inexpensive construction.

More particularly, it is my object to provide a golf tee and holder, comprising a casing having a spring actuated drum or roller therein. and provided with means for locking the drum in various positions.

A further purpose is to provide a structure having at one end an opening adapted to receive the shank of a tee and adapted to be closed by the head of the tee.

Generally speaking, it is my purpose to provide a tee holder of such a kind that the is face of the tee may be received therein when the device is not in use in such manner that the head of the tee will close the opening at the end of the casing, the tee being connected by a flexible member with a spring actuated roller in the casing, so that it may be withdrawn and used for supporting a ball, the flexible member being connected with the roller to prevent the accidental loss of the tee.

Sitill another purpose is to provide a tee of novel construction for use with such a casmg. i

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my golf tee and holder, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanyr g drawings, in which:

Figure l shows a perspective view of a tee holder and tee embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view through the tee holder.

Figure 3 is a detail, sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a similar view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the end of thepasing having the opening for the tee;

and

Figure 6 is a'plan view of the casing. In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally the casing forming my improved tee holder. For pur oses of better illustration, the casing is s own somewhat larger in proportion to the tee, than is true in actual construction.

The casing 10 may be rectangular in cross section. At one end, it is closed by africtionally held, removable cap 11. Adjacent to the closed end of the holder, a shaft or bolt 12 is extended through the casing and mounted in the walls thereof. The bolt or shaft 12 has at one end, the head 13 adjacent to which is a squared portion 14 fitted into a corresponding hole in the wall of the casing 10.

The other end of the bolt 12 is provided with a long slot 15 and for a portion of its length is screw-threaded as at 16 to receive the nut 17.

Rotatably mounted on the bolt 12 within the casing 10 is a sleeve 18 forming a drum.

The drum 18 has near one end thereof an annular disc 19 formed thereon, terminating in a circumferential flange 20, which forms a casing for a spring 21. One end of the spring 21 is received in the slot 15, i and the other end is fastened to a flange 20. Secured to the drum 18 and wound thereon is a flexible member 22.

On the opposite end of the casing 10 is an opening 23 in the form of a keyhole slot.

I provide a tee of peculiar construction, indicated generally by the reference character A. The tee A comprises a head 24. the upper surface of which is concave as at 25. Connected with the head 24, is a tubular extension 26. The head 24 and extension 26 are preferably made of rubber or other resilient material, which will not be broken When struck with the golf club. Received in the tubular extension 26 is a shank 27 having at one end a head 28 formed with an annular flange 29, which in the assembling of the tee is bent toward the shank 27 for gripping the open end of the tubular extension 26 and thus holding the tubular extension 26 on the shank 27.

Adjacent to the under side of the head24 is an annular groove 30. The flexible member 22 is tied around the tee in the groove 30.

Assuming that the spring 21 is under tension, then 1t will be seen that the shank of the tee may be inserted in the opening 23 and will project into the casing 10. The opening 23 will be closed by the resilient head 24 for thus keeping dirt out of the casing. The head is held snugly against the upper end of the casing in which the head 24 is formed by the flexible member 22 and the tension of the s ring.

When it is desire to use the tee, the golfer no grasps the head 24 and pulls the tee out of the casing 10, drawing-with it the flexible member 22, thus increasing the. tension of the spring 21.

The flexible member 22 is provided with an enlarged portion, such as a knot 31, at a proper point in its length to permit the flexible member to be slipped into the narrow portion 23 of the opening 23 and to be held against return movement by the knot as shown in Figure 5.

The tee is set in the ground and used.

It will be seen that if the tee happens to be struck by a club, it may he pulled out of the ground, but there is no likelihood of its being driven away and lost.

After the ball has been played, the user can pull out the tee, slip the flexible member 22 out of the narrow neck 23 of the opening 23, whereupon the spring will wind the flexible member on the drum, and the shank of the tee may be inserted into the casing, and the whole device replaced in the pocket.

The advantage of sucha device for avoidin the loss of the tee is obvious.

The whole device is compact and comparatively inexpensive.

If desired, the tee holder may be provided with a lock device, comprising a ratchet 32 formed on the drum 18, and a suitable means for holding the ratchet. This means may consist of a headed pin 33 extended through an elongated slot 34 in the wall of the casing 10 and adapted to coact with the ratchet 32.

A spring 35 mounted on the pin 33 frictionally engages and slides on the. inner surface of the wall of the casing 10, so that the pin is held in any position to which it may be adjusted in the slot 34. The pin may be pushed to position for eoaeting with the teeth of the ratchet 32 or to position where the teeth clear the pin. The pin can thus be used for locking the drum against being wound up by the spring, if it is desired, and the use of the knot 33 may be dispensed with.

Attention is called to the advantages of the tee A constructed as herein shown. It is of simple and inexpensive construction, has a sufliciently rigid shank for insertion into the ground, and such a resilient head as will not be seriously injured or destroyed by the golf player. If the player should strike the head, the head would give, but would not be destroyed.

I One advantage of the structure of the tee holder herein shown lies in its convenience for assembling purposes.

The cap 11 can be removed, the drum shoved into the open end of the casing and held in line with the openings of the shaft or pin 12, and that pin can then be shoved into place and rotated until the end of the spring is received in the slot 15, and the parts thereafter conveniently and easily assembled.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a tee holder, a casing having a cap mounted on one end, having at its other end an opening to receive the shank of a tee, a spring-actuated drum mounted in said casing, a flexible element connected with said drum and adapted to be wound thereon by the tension of the spring, a tee connected with said flexible element having a shank adapted to he received in the casing, and a head adapted to close such opening.

2. In a tee holder, a casing having a cap mounted on one end, having at its other end an opening to receive the shank of a tee, a spring-actuated drum mounted in said casing, a flexible element connected with said drum and adapted to be wound thereon by the tension of the spring, a tee connected with said flexible element having a shank adapted to be received in the casing, and a head adapted to close such opening, said opening having a narrow extension, said flexible element being provided with an enlargement.

3. In a tee holder, a casing, having a cap mounted on one end, having at its other end an opening to receive the shank of a tee, a spring-actuated drum mounted in said casing, a flexible element connected with said drum and adapted to be wound thereon by the tension of the spring, a tee connected with said flexible element having a shank adapted to be received in the casing, and a head adapted to close such opening, and means for locking the drum against movement when the flexible element is pulled out of the casing.

4. In a. tee holder, a casing, having a cap mounted on one end, having at its other end an opening to receive the shank of a tee, a spring-actuated drum mounted in said casing, a flexible element connected with said drum and adapted to be wound thereon by the tension of the spring, a tee connected with said flexible element having a. shank adapted to be received in the casing, and a head adapted to close such opening, and means for locking the drum against movement when the flexible element is pulled out of the casing, said means comprisin a ratchet on the drum, and a slidable mem or for coacting with the ratchet.

5. A golf tee, comprising a resilient head formed with a tubular extension and a stiff shank received in said extension and provided with a head projecting beyond the extension and having a portion larger in diameter than the tubular extension.

Des Moines, Iowa, May 3, 1926.

ULRICH W. WALTON. 

